Andrew Jacobs, General Manager
Why would I need a dental checkup?
There are numerous reasons why you need a regular dental checkup. The most common is that you want your doctor or dental provider to catch things early enough. If you don't get a regular dental checkup, you might have an issue like a cavity or a fractured tooth that you might not know about. You might have a hairline fracture or something similar. These issues could linger in your mouth and turn into real dental emergencies a year, a year and a half down the road.
How often should I get a dental checkup done?
Typically, you want to get them done when you're having your routine cleaning. For most people, you want to get your dental checkup done every six months.
Dental checkups can definitely prevent oral health issues. They accomplish this primarily through the doctor being able to catch small issues when they're small. If you have too much buildup in one area of your mouth, say one of your back molars in between two teeth, often that can be solved with just a little tweak or alteration to your daily dental routines. Maybe at night, you can double floss in an area or take extra care brushing back there. If you don't make any alterations or you don't have a dental checkup, that could then turn into decay or a cavity. Then, by your next dental checkup, the doctor may diagnose a small one-surface to two-surface filling, which is really quick and easy to take care of.
What can I expect during a dental checkup at Sea Summit Dentistry?
If you're going to get your dental checkup done here at Sea Summit Dentistry, there are a couple of things you can expect. The biggest one is your cleaning. People often get their dental checkups at the end of their cleaning. These two things should always align together. It's typically a package deal in most dental offices.
The biggest thing you're going to get is your cleaning first, and then if you need X-rays, you can go ahead and get them done. Typically, these are done once a year, so every other dental checkup. Of course, you're going to have your dental checkup at the very end. There are a couple of main things that Dr. Jacobs looks for during a dental checkup.
The biggest things are, of course, decay. If you have any decay, you'll likely need a filling. Some other main things he's looking for are pre-indicators of a cavity forming. If you have any excess buildup of hardened calculus or plaque, often your dental provider will suggest an alteration to your daily routine, such as flossing better or more consistently to prevent decay from forming.
Finally, they will look at the state of your gums. Are they healthy? Are they puffy and inflamed? Is the whole gum line like that, or is it just one specific area? This can lead the doctor down different paths of what he can recommend for you. Those are the three main things: any sort of decay, pre-indicators of decay, and your gum health for sure.
How long does a dental checkup take?
Typically, a dental checkup takes around 5 to 10 minutes and is at the end of your routine cleaning. The doctor will examine all of your teeth, the state of your gums, and see if there's any decay or pre-indicated decay. This process typically takes around 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the state of your mouth.
How can I schedule a dental checkup at Sea Summit Dentistry?
If you are interested in getting a dental checkup here at Sea Summit Dentistry, the best way to schedule one is to give us a call at (949) 787-3378.
We can schedule your cleaning for the same time. As mentioned earlier, your dental checkup will only take around 5 to 10 minutes. If you're worried about a specific part of your mouth, typically we call that a limited oral evaluation, or we could get you in for a limited consult. No charge to you, of course. But if you're really looking for your periodic oral evaluation, you should be scheduling your cleaning.
If you're overdue for your periodic oral evaluation or your dental checkup, that typically means you're overdue for your cleaning as well. You might as well knock everything out at once. Schedule your cleaning, and you will get your fluoride if you wish, your X-rays if you want, and your periodic oral evaluation.
If you’re ready to schedule an exam or would like to learn more about our services, we’d love to hear from you. Call us at (949) 787-3378 or email [email protected]. We look forward to caring for your smile.